Picometer and nanoradian interferometry for the LISA gravitational reference sensor and its application to technology verification

Author

Schuldt, T. ; Gohlke, M. ; Weise, D. ; Johann, U. ; Peters, A. ; Braxmaier, C.

Author_Institution

HTWG Konstanz, Univ. of Appl. Sci., Konstanz, Germany

fYear

2009

fDate

14-19 June 2009

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

1

Abstract

The spaceborne gravitational wave detector LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) utilizes free floating proof masses as inertial references for its 5 million km long interferometer arms. In the current baseline design their position and tilt with respect to the appropriate optical bench is measured by an optical readout which needs picometer sensitivity in translation measurement and nanoradian sensitivity in tilt measurement. For this purpose EADS-Astrium GmbH - in cooperation with HTWG Konstanz and the Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin - developed a highly symmetric heterodyne interferometer with differential wavefront sensing for the tilt measurement.

Keywords

gravitational wave detectors; light interferometers; optical sensors; EADS-Astrium GmbH; HTWG Konstanz; Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin; LISA gravitational reference sensor; differential wavefront sensing; free floating proof masses; highly symmetric heterodyne interferometer; laser interferometer space antenna; nanoradian interferometry; nanoradian sensitivity; optical bench; optical readout; picometer interferometry; spaceborne gravitational wave detector; technology verification; tilt measurement; translation measurement; Current measurement; Frequency measurement; Noise measurement; Optical devices; Optical fiber polarization; Optical interferometry; Optical mixing; Optical sensors; Position measurement; Space technology;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Lasers and Electro-Optics 2009 and the European Quantum Electronics Conference. CLEO Europe - EQEC 2009. European Conference on

Conference_Location

Munich

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-4079-5

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-4244-4080-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/CLEOE-EQEC.2009.5196301

Filename

5196301